EPA Awards Houston Airport Over $1 Million for Clean Shuttle Buses

The EPA has awarded more than $1 million to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, for electric shuttle buses. The funds will go toward reducing diesel vehicles’ harmful emissions and improving air quality.

Feb 12, 2018

The EPA has awarded more than $1 million to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, for electric shuttle buses. The funds will go toward reducing diesel vehicles’ harmful emissions and improving air quality.

The $1,032,104 grant, administered under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA), will allow the airport to replace diesel-burning buses with the purchase of four electric-power shuttle buses. Per year, the action is expected to reduce nearly 12.4 tons of pollutants that contribute to ozone and 0.1 tons of particulate matter. The reduction of this pollution will help improve air quality as well as overall respiratory, cardiovascular, and central nervous system health for people who live in communities surrounding the airport.

“Improving air quality through the use of alternative technologies is a priority of the Houston Airport System,” Houston Airport System environmental manager Carlos Ortiz said. “With the assistance of the EPA, we are able to reduce emissions from diesel-powered shuttle buses and promote the use of alternative technologies at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.”

DERA funding helps improve air quality through grants to replace or improve aging diesel fleets that are still in use. Reducing exposure to diesel exhaust from older, dirtier diesel engines is important for the health of people and the environment.